It's the season of giving, and as you know, finding a really special present sometimes takes a lot of shopping around. Here's a time-saving list of great gift ideas, most of which would also make good housewarming presents for any home buyers you may know next year.

Brooks Beaupain206-778-4663 Direct

Great Gift Ideas for Home and Family

Quick Note: Links to online shopping sources are included for efficiency's sake, but most items are available at various locations, including non-online stores. This is not intended to recommend any particular shopping resource.

Tile is a tiny bluetooth tracker that can be attached to any item that you commonly misplace so that you can track its location remotely from your iPhone or Android phone and make the Tile sound an alarm if you can't find it. If you've lost your phone but have the Tile, pressing the Tile will make your phone ring even if it's on 'silent' mode. (This last feature comes with the Generation 2 Tile, linked to above.)

This handy gift for the gardener features a folding steel frame canvas stool along with five garden tools and a compartmentalized tool bag that attaches to the stool. Another highly-rated version with no tools but more bag compartments is The Gardener's Tool Seat from Uncommon Goods.

Fitness meets fashion with chic metal bracelets from designer Tory Burch that are designed to hold a Fitbit. There's a wide variety of other Tory Burch styles for Fitbits available as well, including leather double-wrap bracelets and even pendant necklaces.

Reindeer and snowman-shaped cookies might have Yoda and Chewbacca for company this year. The Star Wars-themed cookie cutter collection from Uncommon Goods comes with six different movie character shapes.

Fix It Sticks are a combination of four of the most commonly used tool bits, all in a simple 2-piece set that can also form a T wrench for leverage. Great for simple repairs around the home, to keep in the car glove compartment, or for bicycle repairs on the go.

Did you know that a pocket-sized mobile charger can actually jump start a dead car battery? This 7-ounce device comes with proprietary jumper cables, making it a great tool to keep in the glove compartment in case of emergencies. Needless to say, it also charges smartphones and tablets.

Price Range: Around $100.

If starting a dead car battery is not a big concern, the smaller but highly-rated RAVPower mobile charger might be a good choice. Currently on sale for around $11, it can add 14 hours of talk time or 90 hours of music play time to a smartphone.

The Nuzzle is a waterproof smart collar that helps you track down your dog or cat if it gets lost, using GPS via a combination of nationwide cellular coverage and bluetooth. It also lets you set up virtual geo-fencing and monitor things like activity level and temperature. Unlike many other pet-tracking services, there is no monthly or annual fee. (The Nuzzle is a new product that ships in March 2016, so if you need something sooner you may want to check out Wareable's list of the best tracking collars.)

These inflatable solar-powered lanterns are lightweight, waterproof, and have eight different color modes, making them extremely handy for camping, backpacking, or even just casual evenings on the patio or balcony. (Earlier versions had a design flaw that is reflected in the reviews, but this appears to have been resolved.)

If you're stumped on a gift idea for that special someone who needs something truly unique, this rampaging Kaiju garden gnome is likely to bring smiles - and it certainly fits the category of 'not your typical present'. :) It's currently backordered a few weeks out but would make a fun housewarming gift in 2016.

Price Range: Around $25.

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Note: Housing statistics based on closed sales typically reflect market conditions of two or three months ago. To find out what's going on right now in your local market, please contact me directly.

Contact Me for Market InformationAre you curious about your home's current market value, or do you have a question about home buying? Just reply to this email, or call me at 206-778-4663.

Links that Make Life Easier

Sometimes real estate-related, sometimes not... these are assorted links that come in handy:

YouRoam International CallingA smartphone app that allows you to make and receive calls using your regular mobile number for free or at very low cost when traveling internationally. (The service needs to be set up before you leave your home country.)

After 11-year-old Tontrevion Campbell's Xbox was stolen while he and his mother were at church, the responding police officers learned that he wouldn't be able to replace it because all of the family's money went to pay bills. The Memphis officers soon chipped in to buy a brand new version and went back to suprise Tontrevion and his mother, leading to smiles all around.

Are you thinking of buying or selling a home in the next year, or could you use some remodeling advice? Even if you just need the name of a good service provider, please remember that I'm always here to help you. I welcome the opportunity to serve you, your friends and associates with my expertise and recommendations.

Please give me a call today at 206-778-4663 if I can be of assistance!